Conservative Party Conference 2018: When is Theresa May speaking and will there be Brexit protests?

Tories gather in Birmingham as negotiations with Europe stall

As the Conservative Party Conference takes place in Birmingham this weekend all eyes will be on Theresa May‘s keynote speech.

It comes at a tough moment for the prime minister after European leaders rejected her Chequer’s Brexit plan with Europe, along with members of her own party including former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

Here’s everything you need to know about the event.

Where and when will the conference take place?

This year’s event will be held at Birmingham's International Conference Centre (ICC) and run between 10am on Sunday 30 September and 12.30pm on Wednesday 3 October.

There are expected to be 11,000 delegates in attendance.

Who will be speaking?

Theresa May’s address will of course be the event’s main draw, bringing matters to a close from 10am on Wednesday morning in Symphony Hall.

Before that, party chairman Brandon Lewis will provide the curtain-raising “Welcome to Conference” speech on Sunday afternoon, followed by addresses from international trade secretary Liam Fox, international development secretary Penny Mordaunt, defence secretary Gavin Williamson and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, transport secretary Chris Grayling will address the auditorium on Monday and Philip Hammond deliver a speech on “An Economy That Works for Everyone”.

The afternoon session will be centred around “An Opportunity for Future Generations” and feature speeches by cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Jeremy Wright, James Brokenshire and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.

On Tuesday 2 October, Scottish secretary David Mundell, Welsh secretary Alun Cairns, Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley and justice secretary David Gauke will speak on “A Stronger, Fairer United Kingdom”.

After lunch, the thorny issue of “High-Quality Public Services” will be tackled by health secretary Matt Hancock and education secretary Damian Hinds, among others.

This will leave the stage clear for the prime minister.

Will there be Brexit protests?

More than likely. Campaigners marching for a “Final Say” second referendum on Britain’s divorce from Europe are expected to be out in force, just as they were in Liverpool during Labour’s conference.

West Midlands Police will be stepping up its presence in the immediate vicinity of the ICC and city centre while travel restrictions will be in place on Broad Street, Bridge Street and Cambridge Street from 21 September to 5 October.